Christ the great example of Gospel ministers. A sermon preached at Portsmouth, at the…Christ the great example of Gospel ministers. A sermon preach'd at Portsmouth, at the…

IV. I come now to the fourth and last Thing at first proposed, viz. to show what Improvement should be made of what has been said, by the People of this Church and Congregation, who are now about solemnly to commit their Souls to the Charge of him whom they have chosen to be their Pastor, and who is now about to be set apart to that Office.

And you, my Brethren, as all of you have immortal Souls to save, if you have considered the Things that have been spoken, can't but be sensible, that it not only greatly concerns your elect Pastor to take heed how he behaves himself in his great Work, wherein he is to act as a Co-worker ⟨p. 26⟩with Christ for your Salvation; but that it infinitely concerns you how you receive him, and behave towards him. Seeing that it is for your eternal Salvation that he is appointed to watch and labour; and seeing his Business is to do the Work of Christ for you, 'tis natural and easy to infer, that your Reception and Entertainment of him should in some Respect imitate the Church's Reception of Jesus Christ. Gal. iv. 14. My Temptation which was in my Flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Christ in the Text, commands those whom he sends, to follow his Example, and then in the 20 v. following, he directs those to whom he sends them, how to treat them. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. Seeing the Work of your Minister is in some Respects the same with the Work of Christ, and he is to be appointed and devoted to do this Work for your Souls in particular, surely you should esteem him very highly in Love for his Work's sake, and do all that is in your Power to help him, and put him under the best Advantages to imitate his great Master in this Work, to give himself wholly to his Work, as Christ did during the Time of his Ministry, and to be successful in his Work. And as it was observed before, that it is impossible that Ministers should in any tolerable Degree imitate the Example of Christ in their Work, if their Minds are overcharged with worldly Cares and Concerns, you ought so to provide for him and support him, that he shall have no need to entangle himself with these Things; otherwise you will not only bring a great Temptation upon him, which will vastly tend to hinder him in the Work of Christ among you, but will for the sake of sparing a le of your worldly Substance to your selves, foolishly